By now, I think that nearly everyone that I work with on a regular basis has heard that I will be taking an extended period off from performing inspections in order to travel to Africa. Not everyone has the timeline, so I thought I would share that so each person can plan for the future.

I leave for Kenya on December 27th. With the holiday, that means my last day of work for the year will be the 23rd, as I am also taking my birthday (Dec. 24th) off to spend with my family.

I return, assuming no unfortunate incidents with hippos or lions, on January 29th and will be ready to work on February 1st.

The trip is a combination of research for a new novel and a chance for me to realize a lifelong dream to explore, at least in small part, the incredible continent that is Africa. It also follows a realization that the time for such a trip is while you are both young enough and healthy enough to maximize the adventure.

For those who wish to follow along, I will be posting to my personal blog, www.paulduffau.com, but Internet service is likely to be spotty in the Rift Valley.

I thank you for your understanding and hope that this does not unduly inconvenience you. I did try to schedule the trip to take advantage of the slower winter season.